Method and apparatus for electronically determining particle size distribution



Jan. 10, 1950 J. HILLIER 2,494,441

METHOD AND APPARATUSAFOR ELECTRONICALLY DETERMINING PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION Filed July 28, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jam 10, 1950 J. HILLIER METHOD AND APPARATUS FDR ELECTRONICALLY DETERMINING PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1948 W576i. E57. 4a.

-nlIlI-l Illu- MIEI INVENTQR JAMES HIL IER jatented Jan. l0, Q

METHOD AND APPARATUS ron ELECTRONI- wCAL-LY DETERMiNING PARfrIcLE sizE -J ames Hillier, Granbury, N. Ll., assignor to Radio Corporation of America., a .corporation of lDela- Ware Application July 28, 1948, Serial No. :41,096

(Cl. Z50-49.5)

This invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for obtaining informationzrelated to the dimensions of Adiscreteparticles:Spread .out in a-eld ci View. By particlesis meant not `only physical entities havingthreedimensions butany discrete areas or spots having an appearance contrasting with that oi the-general background.

More particularly, the invention relates :to -a system including meansforscanning v.with a Abeam of energy afield of'vi'ew in vWhich particles ap pear, means for detecting changes in the intensity of the beam after it has impin'ged on the field of view, and means Vresponsive to abrupt changes in said intensity for recording desired information about the field being studied. The beam of energy may be a focussed beam of light scanned mechanically, or va focussed beam o light generated by a stream ofelectrons striking the uorescent surface coating of a cathode ray kinescope tube, or it may be'a beamof electrons striking the iield directly. The eld of vievv may be either translucent or opaque to the beam of energy and the residual energy of the beam may thus be .detected either inatransmitted Vray or a reflected ray. The field may be scanned point by point or it may be ima-ged as a Whole and the image scanned in some manner. Where scanning is referred to, it is meant to encompass either one oi these equivalents. The particles being studied -may appear either 'as portions'of the held or view relatively more epaque to the. iinpinging beam of yenergy or relatively more transparent thereto, or where the 'entire field `is opaque, the particles may simplyhavea reflective microscopy, as Well as inlight microscopy, is the determination of'particle size distributions infdispersed systems. To eliminatechance:variationsi it is often desirable that thefsamples 'measured contain hundredsor thousands of particles. This renders vthe measurement of the particle diam-` eters, eventually with 1.the aid of a lscale on an image projected von .a screen, tedious and time consuming and imposes considerable strain'onlthe eyes ci the Worker. The latter circumstance, furthermcratends to reducethe accuracyof the measurements.

One object of the present'invention iste provide improved apparatus vand 'methods for obtaining certain information relating to the dimensions of disc `ete particles.

Another object of the invention .is to provide improved apparatus and methods for determining mean particle diameter of `a large V4number of particles.

Another .object of the kinvention is to provide 'improved apparatus and methods for determining mean particlearea oiga large numberuof particles.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus-and methods for` determining mean square deviation `in a rield of observation containingva large ynumber of particles.

Another object vof `the invention is to provide improved methods and apparatus for measuring particle size distribution of a large number of particles of varyingsizes.

Still another oblect of -the invention is to provide improvedapparatus and methods for detecting large size particles-occurring -among a large number oi particles -of relatively small average These and otherobjects Will be more apparent and the invention ^Will be more readily understood from a consideration of thespecication whenltaken iniconjunction'with the drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view'o onefembodiment of apparatus for carrying out the invention,

25 Fig..2 is :an Villustration :ofa scanning `pattern which may befutilized lin the present invention,

Fig. 3 is a typical distribution curve 'of results obtained by scanning a Ifield of particles, showing relative numbers of transit lengths of .the scanning beam-'equal to or Agreater than a-series .oi predetermined lengths,

-in Asection showing how the invention may be adaptedV for direct use in a lightmicroscope.

In one embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a photomicrograph 2 or electron mi-crograph transparency may be made of an tarea containing particles 3 to be studied. This is scanned with adevice comprisinga kinescope tube 4 4on the fluorescent screen of which is produced a rraster used as a flying-spot light sourceanda lens -system .6 toimage the raster .on the transparency v2. Another lens `system 8 may be used to focus the light transmitted These counters may be of the general type described in the RCA Review, vol. 7, No. 3, Sept. 1946, page 442 (article by I Grosdoi) or more particularly described in the copending application of I. Grosdoi, Serial No. 672,748, filed May 28, 1946.

The output from photocell l0 may be first amplified, if desired, then fed to a clipping circuit I6 such as described in the copending application of I. Grosdoii, Serial No. 28,351, filed May 21, 1948. This type of circuit has an output capacitor from one side of which may be obtained a pulsed output and from the other side oi which may be obtained a square wave output.

The pulsed output is fed over a conductor lll to the grid of a coupling tube 29. The counter` I2 for counting number of transits is connectedto the anode of the coupling tube.

The square wave output of the clipping circuit is fed over another conductor 22 to a grid of another coupling tube 24, which may be a tetrode. To the other grid of this second coupling tube is fed the output of a constant frequency oscillator 26. The second counter I4, for obtaining total length of all transits is connected to the anode of the second coupling tube 211. Its results are accomplished by counting the total number of evenly spaced pulses from the oscillator 25 which occur during the time the scanning beam is traversing particles.

positive with respect to the cathode to permit electron current to flow in the tube from cathode ner to obtain various types of information aboutv the particles.

If the flying-spot scanning pattern is imaged on the area of the transparency to be measured, a scanning line may be produced having a trace 5, as shown in Fig. 2, across the images or par ticles in the scanned area of the plate. The separation d of the scanning lines of the trace 5is assumed small compared to the dimensions of the smallest particles to be measured.

If the total number of particles in this area is N, the mean dimension D of a particle in a direction perpendicular to the direction of scanning is (1277/,- DrN- where nl is the number of times the spot crosses the ith particle. Furthermore, the mean projected area, of a particle is given by the sum of the lengths of the traces, l, of the beam across all of the particles multiplied by d and dividedv by N:

If t1 is the total time in a scanning period (for the entire eld) during which the scanning beam passes over particles (i. e., the total time during which there is evidenced a distinct rise or a distinct fall in photocurrent compared with the nor- Although the oscillator is on continuously, the coupling tube 24 conducts only when the grid connected to the square wave y output side of the clipping circuit is sufficiently' 4 mal background current depending upon whether a negative or a positive reproduction of the dispersed particles is being observed) if T is the time of scan of a scanning line, and if L is the length of the scanning line, then dL t,

Apart from the total number of particles, the

determination of mean particle diameter is thus reduced to a count of the number of transits 2m of the beam across the areas representing the particles and the determination of the mean particle area becomes a measure of the time t1 spent in executing these transits.

Y 2m is determined by the counter l2 which is I triggered every time the current output of photocell I0 exceeds or falls below, as the case may be, a certain intensity which is set intermediate between the background and the particle center photocurrent.

t1, on the other hand, is measured by the cumulative counter i4 acting as an electric clock which is turned on (in the case of a negative transparency) whenever the photocurrent rises above the level just referred to and is turned off when it drops below it. For a positive transparency this action would be just the reverse and what is actually measured then is the area between particles.

If the particles are of uniform shape, a knowledge of the mean linear dimension D and the mean area yields immediately the mean square 'i deviation 62 of the linear dimension D. In particular, for particles with a circular projection, where the dimension D and the diameter coincide,

For square platelets with side S, it can be shown 'that For most purposes, a determination of mean 5 size, i. e., mean linear dimension or mean area,

and mean square deviation is adequate. However, at times, la knowledge of the actual distribution curve is desirable. This is particularly desirable when the dispersion being studied is a mixed :phase system, i. e., contains several groups of particles of different mean `particle size. It is then .possible to obtain, by ia modilication of the previously described electronic system, a distribution curve for the lengths of scan across the particles,

' which is a close approximation to the true distribution curve for the linear dimension of the particle. The modication may consist in using a counter 28 in place of the counter l2. The counter 23 has a time constant for its charging circuit which may be set in a series of steps corresponding to the desired resolution of the distribution curve.

If, for example, the circuit is adjusted for a charging time corresponding to the linear dimension Z, the counter will move a digit whenever the "process is repeated as the beam strikes the image of the next particle and the photocurrent rises accordingly; Provisicniszmade;ofccursefordis- Thus, for a uniform distribution (2="0) they mean value or thetransit lengths is0.785D.- With increasing nonuniformit the mean transit length increases, becoming equal to themean di ameter for root-mean-square deviation which is 53% ofthe diameter. l

The mean square deviation of the transit. lengths is amici-7G22 For a symmetrical distribution ofthe particles, the third 'deviation 53 drops out (the distribution curve of transit l'e'ngthsis asymmetrical under these circumstances). If', furthermore, the distribution is uniform, the mean square deviation of the transit lengths i's 1720 of Ytliesquare of the mean diameter. The diierence betweenthe mean square deviation er thev transit lengths andthe mean square deviation ofthe diameters decreases with increasing nonuniformity until; for

the two mean square deviations .are approximately equal. For larger deviations, the mean square deviation of the transit lengths is less than thati ofthe diameters. Y l 1 Y Y y w Figs. 4, fia and 4b are rgraphicalY illustrations which show the transit length distribution curves corresponding to 'different particle diameter dis` tri-bution curves where the particles'are of circular projection. They give some idea "of the range of usefulness of the procedure of automaticallyV recording the distribution 'curves of the trans lengths as described above.

in each of these figures, the solid line curve' represents ya particular ideal distribution of particle diameters. Thus, ink Fig. 4', the solid linek curve represents a dispersionv in which all particles have one certain diameter D. In Fig. 4a,1 the solid line curve represents a dispersion in- Which the diameters of theparticles have a rather narrow range of distribution on either sider of the mean diameter D and lin which the number of particles having a certain diametervaries in straight line relationship t the diameter. In Fig. 4b, the relationship shown by the solid line lcurve isalso a straight line relationship but the distri butionV of particle diameters is much Wider thany in the system illustrated in Fig. 4a.

Also, in each oi Figs. 4, 4a and 4b, the dotted line curve is a curve showing the corresponding distribution of transit lengths whichare obtained by scanning the dispersions according to the. present invention.. As can be seen, the curve which can be plotted is a fairly close approximation of the actual range of particle diameters and collo bili an emmer the two curves. become more: nearly` identical as the range yof diameters becomes wider.

Since the. counter. systemfurni-shing `the distri- :bution of transit lengths also furnishes the total number of transits and, hence, the mean diameter of the particles, .no more. than two counter systems `are required under any circumstances.

The Vgenera-1 system of theY present invention..

which vhas already been described in connection with a simple optical system for imaging a flyingspot on a photographic transparency 4may also be readily adapted for direct use in either an electron or a light microscope. A modification in which an electron microscopeis used is illustratedk usual specimen chamber (not shown) which is.

abovethe projector lens. The fluorescent viewing screen 34 commonly included in an electron microscope may have .bored therein a. hole 36 large enough tov accommodate a very smal1 .part

of the electronbeam 38.

The particle dispersion sam-ple is then subjected to a focussed beam of electrons just as is the case when any other specimen is being observed in an electronmicroscope. -A greatly magnified electro-n im'ageoi thevsampleV is caused to be formed byv the electron lens system of the instrument. rlhisimage. is projected by the projector. lens t2 and the image is then scanned across theV tiny aperture `by, meansof the deiiection yokes 3G. Thus, the same.- effect is obtained as if the aperture were, insteadscanned across the image.

The relativeintensity of the electron ray passing' through-the aperturev at any instant during 4 0 the scanning process Will be proportional to the particles t' be studied, `placed on the specimen;

electrodes which are not sensitive to the admis-- sion of air, such electrodes being made ci a material such as a silver-magnesium alloy. In the latter case, the fluorescent coating isV not necessary and, of course,the envelopeof the multiplier tube is not present.

The output current ci the photctube or 59:

will be proportional 'tothe intensity of the electron ray striking itscathodeat any instant. .T ust as in one of the modifications previously de,-` scribed, the presence-oi a particle will be signalled by a sharp decrease inthe output current of the p'hctotube Vand this will loe-recorded by the counter l2.

lin still another modication vof the invention,-

as shown in Fig. 6, a kinescope tube 52, upon ther iiuorescent screen of which is imposed a raster used as flying-spot light source as shown and described in connection with Fie. l., is used in pla-ce of the lig-ht source ordinarily used vwith al light microscope 5a. servedcan. be Ia prepared slide 56 containing the.

` otal scanning time of all particles the, ,n sample ytvillas before, be recordedv by the clocktype counter i4.

Here, the iield being ob'- sacan-i1 i stage 58 of the microscope. The image of the flying spot is focussed on the slide by a high quality objective lens combination 50. The phototube 62 for detecting the light changes produced by scanning the object may either be placed in the eyepiece of the microscope or, as illustrated in the figure, may be placed in a side-arm tube 64. A beam-splittting prism 66 may thenbe utilized for splitting the light beam received from the microscope objective so that an observer at 68 may observe the slide simultaneously as the measuring device is operating.

There has thus been described improved apparatus and methods for automatically determining information related to the dimensions of particles which may be of microscopic size. particle diameter and area may be determined as well as distribution curves of these dimensions. The present invention is useful in m'any fields, among which are biological research in cancer study and many other problems, study of colloids and, in fact, any dispersed system of small particles.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for obtaining information related to the dimensions of discrete particles appearing in a field of view against a background contrasting in appearance with said particles, said apparatus comprising means for generating a beam of energy, means for analyzing successive parts of said field with the aid of said beam, said analyzing means including means for focussing said beam on said field, means for detecting energy changes in said beam after it has impinged on said eld and counting means responsive to abrupt changes of current produced in said detecting means by said beam for indicating the number of times said abrupt changes occur.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said beam of energy is a beam of light.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said beam of energy is a beam of electrons.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said counting means includes also means for indicating the total time of duration of all of said abrupt changes.

5. Apparatus for obtaining information related to the dimensions of discrete particles appearing in a eld of view against a background contrasting in appearance with said particles, said apparatus comprising means for generating a beam of energy, means for focussing said beam on said field, means for intercepting and for detecting energy changes in said beam after it has impinged on said field, means for scanning said field with a part of said beam having a cross sectional area less than that of any of said particles about which information is desired, first counting means responsive to abrupt changes of current relative to normal background current produced in said detecting means for indicating the number of traversals of said scanning beam part across particles in said field, said first counting means including means for turning on said counting means each time there occurs an abrupt change in current relative to said normal background current and second counting means for recording total time of all of said traversals.

6. Apparatus for obtaining information related to the dimensions of discrete particles appearing in a field of View against a background contrasting in appearance Vwith said particles, said apparatus comprising a kinescope tube, means for producing a flying-spot raster on the fluorescent Mean screen of said tube, means for imaging a light beam from said raster on said field for scanning said field, a photoelectric device for detecting changes in the intensity of said beam after it has impinged on said field and means for recording abrupt changes in the output current of said photoelectric device for counting the number of traversals of said beam across said particles.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said counting device also includes means for counting the total time of all of said traversals.

8. Apparatus for obtaining information related to the dimensions of discrete particles appearing in a eld of view against a background contrasting in appearance with said particles, said apparatus comprising means for detecting changes in intensity of a beam of electrons,

means for forming an electron image of said fieldr of View, means for scanning said image such that an electron beam required from each scanned element of said image falls successively on said detecting means, and means responsive to the output current of said detecting means for counting the number of traversals made by said scanning means across said particles.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said counting means includes means for turning on said counting means each time there occurs an abrupt change in current relative to the normal background current produced in said detecting means and means for turning off said counting means each time the current drops back to said background value.

V10. Apparatus according to claim 9 including also a second counter for recording the total time of traversal of said scanning beam across all of said particles.

11. Apparatus for counting a number of discrete particles which have at least a certain predetermined size and which appear in a field of view against a background contrasting in appearance with said particles, said apparatus comprising means for generating a beam of energy, means for focussing said beam on said field, means for intercepting said beam and for detecting energy changes therein after it has impinged on said field, means for scanning said iield with at least a part of said beam having a cross sectional area less than that of any of said particles about which information is desired, and means for counting traversals of said beam across said particles, said counting means being responsive to abrupt changes of current relative to normal background current produced in said detecting means in response to actuation by said beam and including means for setting its charging circuit such that it will record only traversals of at least said predetermined length.

12. A method of obtaining information related to the dimensions of discrete particles appearing in a field of View against a background contrasting in appearance with said particles comprising analyzing successive parts of said field with a beam of energy, detecting abrupt changes in the intensity of said beam after it has impinged upon said field, and counting all said abrupt changes caused by said beam striking said particles.

13. Method according to claim 12 including also counting the total time of duration during which said abrupt changes persist.

JAMES HILLIER.

No references cited. 

